New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-16
PRICE THREE CENTS
THE COAL COMPANIES TO ACT
A CRISIS IN TIE STRIKE EXPECTED.


ANOTHER ACCESSION TO THE sTRIKERs-NEw-YoRz
COAL CARTS DUMPED.
The coal handlers received further acceaaion n
their ranks yesterday by q strike Of the twenty.
four men employed by the Lehigh Valley Coal Com.
pany In Jersey City. These men renamed at work
until Friday afternoon. when they demanded more
wages; they also objected to handling "outside
COAL" or coal not belonging to the company They
were making from $12 to $13 a week, getting 8
cents ton. They demanded 80 cents an hour Tho
officers of tho company state that this demand
means an increase of 80 per cent on the present
wages. which the company cannot afford. When
the general strike began the company had 10000
tons of coal on it's wharf at Hudson-st., but that
has been reduced to less than 100 tons. In order
to supply tho wants of regular customers the COM
pany has had coal brought in by rail and carted to
the wharf; it is this coal that the men object to
handling. The officers say they will have no
trouble in filing the places Of the strikers.
Several New-York retail dealers had their supply
abruptly cut off yesterday afternoon. During tho
last day or two Z. W. Youmans g. Co., Of Canal-st..
Thomas Ship, of Liberty-st., and Barton e. Co.. Of
West-st, have been loading carts from cars stand
ing on the Pennsylvania Railroad Companys trestls
at Sixth and Henderson sts. Yesterday. while the
drivers were loading their carts, about 100
of the drivers were 80 badly frightened that they
abandoned their horses aud carts. and about fifty
tons of coal were dumped from the carts into tho
street. The drivers were afraid to load up again
and went back to New York with empty carts
The situation at Weehawken remained un-
changed. The new men worked all day without
molestation. At q mass-meeting of the strikers on
Friday night in Sturms pavilion threats Of further
violence made but they were not carried
out. A resolution was adopted pledging
the men to remain firm. Seventy-fve
additional mon were put to work on the Delaware
and Hudson Canal Companys wharf but still tho
but 1t was next to impossible to get men to take
charge of them. Frederick Beilitz, q green hand,
had his arm badly crushed while coupling cars.
The strikers have the sympathy of the store-keep-
ers In the town and notices are posted up IN many
stores that they can have credit until the strike
settled.
superintendent Reasoner. of the Delaware, Lack
awanna and Western Railroad Company, had .
consultation Yesterday with Mayor Kerr. OF Hobo.
ken. and Chief of Police Donovan: He asked what
protection the authorities would give the comDa-
ny's property in case of violence. Mr.. Kerr said
he did not look for any violence; be had talked
with number Of the companys men. and they hey
that they would not have struck voluntarily, but
they were required to do 1t because the order
was issued by the knights Of Labor The
readiness to suppress any outbreak: Arrangements
had been made whereby fifty policemen could be
concentrated at any point in the city within ten
minutes, but long as the strikers remained
peaceable and orderly they would not be nterfered
with. Mr.. Reasoner was asked if the company
proposed hiring new mon, aud said he did not know
yet. 1t is understood that all the companies will
take concerted action tomorrow and replace the
strikers with new men.
The New-Jersey Central Company did not mako
any effort to replace the strikers yesterday, but it
will probably do tomorrow, relying on the order
of the United States Circuit Court.
1t was announced yesterday that the Erie coal
wharves had passed into the hands OF the Pennsyl-
vania Coal Company and that operations would be
resumed tomorrow with the full force of 2l0 men.
The Pennsylvania Company, 1t was reported, Will
pay the men the increase they have demanded.
This is accounted signal victory for the men and
they are of the impression that the other COM
panies will give IN within day or two.
Affairs remained quiet at Bayonne and Port
Johnson 1t was rumOred IN Bayonne that orders
had been issued by the Knights of Labor to tho
railroad brakemen that no more coal cars must be
moved to Jersey city. and as a majority OF the
brakemen are knights of Labor it is thought that
the order will he obeyed.
1t is expected that crisis in the strike will be
reached tomorrow.